
Monument Valley FFA takes center stage at state leadership conference

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Members of the Monument Valley FFA Chapter gather for a photo with Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren and first lady Jasmine Blackwater-Nygren. The presidential couple, both former FFA members, were honored at the FFA state leadership conference for their continued support of agricultural education and student leadership programs.
GRANTS, N.M.
Monument Valley FFA members made a strong impression at the 2025 Arizona FFA State Leadership Conference.
Conference events took place at the University of Arizona’s Centennial Hall and at the Tucson Convention Center in Tucson, Arizona, where they joined students from across the state for a week of leadership training, competitions, and statewide recognition. The events took place June 5-7.

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Azaila Harvey-Leo served as the state FFA vice president, dedicating her term to traveling across Arizona to visit and support FFA chapters, promote leadership, and strengthen agricultural education statewide.
Nineteen Monument Valley students, accompanied by advisors Elissa and Clyde McBride, took part in workshops, contests, dances, and sessions honoring agricultural achievement. This year’s conference focused on the theme “With Purpose.”
Clyde McBride’s legacy of opportunity
For the past 35 years, Clyde McBride has taken students to these conferences, where they develop essential skills for building strong resumes. Through these experiences, students learn to speak confidently in front of large audiences, network with new members, and engage directly with business and industry partners at trade shows.
For McBride, this work has always been deeply meaningful. When he began his teaching career at Monument Valley High School in 1990, many of the teachers he respected told him he was wasting his time – that Navajo students wouldn’t be competitive in organizations like the FFA. McBride saw that as a challenge to prove them wrong.
In his first year, several of his students qualified to compete at the state level, and that success has continued ever since. Over time, Diné students have gained a new level of respect from other FFA programs across the state.
McBride explained that becoming a state officer is especially difficult for Diné students because it requires them to step away from their personal lives and dedicate a full year to the FFA. While many students have had the skills and leadership to qualify, few have been able to commit.
To read the full article, please see the June 26, 2025, edition of the Navajo Times.
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